


The Healing Touch

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Home [5]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Character, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 20:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3623316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he's sick, Jim only needs one thing – Bones.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Healing Touch

**Author's Note:**

> I got sick, and then this happened.

Jim shivered, despite the fact that he was curled up in bed, wrapped up in every blanket he owned on the ship. "Temperature sensors must be broken," he muttered. "Computer, raise the—"

"Not a chance, kid." Leonard cut in, arms folded across his chest and a long-suffering expression on his face. "You've already cranked the heat up three times already. Summers in Georgia get so hot and sticky you might as well be steam cooked, and I'm still about five minutes  away from passing out due to heatstroke."

The corners of Jim's mouth quirked upward, all he had the energy for at the moment. "You could always strip."

Bones raised an eyebrow, expression far more fond than exasperated. "Not until we know how contagious it is, darlin.' I like Geoff too much to get sick and subject him to taking every shift on this flying circus."

Jim's brow lowered. "It's not that bad. It's just a cold." Suddenly realizing that his position wasn't helping his case any, he shifted the blankets off his shoulders and tried to sit up. It didn't work like he hoped.

Bones scowled and caught his arm, gently pushing him back down on the bed. His hand felt extraordinarily hot against his bare skin, and the second it was gone he missed it more than he had the words for.

So instead, he stayed stubborn. "I told you, I'm fine."

Bones scoffed. "The picture of health. You and Hikaru both picked up some new bug on that last planet we visited, and I'm going to be spending the rest of the shift adding my notes to Starfleet's databases and making sure the symptoms don't get any more interesting."

"Don't forget Sulu." Jim coughed, dramatically enough that it made Bones wince a little in sympathy. "I promise I won't make a break for it while you go check on him."

"Christine's keeping an eye on him, so I'm not going anywhere." His expression softened as he scanned Jim with the tricorder again. "At least your fever's not going up anymore. That's a good thing."

Jim looked up at him, thinking longingly about feeling Bones's hand again. "Who would I have to promote to make sure M'benga had the backup he needed?"

Bones's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Just ... touch my arm again. My forehead. Something." He swallowed, feeling like an idiot. "Just for a little while."

Now Bones was actually looking concerned. "Is there something—"

Jim shook his head, cutting him off. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make the request sound less stupid. "Never mind. You should go check on the rest of your patients."

Bones's brow lowered, and he watched Jim's face for a long moment. Then, sitting down on the edge of the bed, he slid his hand around the back of Jim's bare neck. It was hot enough it almost burned, and Jim closed his eyes with a sigh that betrayed how happy he was.

"If you're really that cold, this should be almost hurting you," Bones murmured, voice soft.

Jim shook his head. If he focused on the heat, the touch, it didn't feel so much like he was floating away anymore. "Don't stop."

"There are heated cushions back in sickbay," Bones offered. "Wouldn't be quite such a shock to the system."

But then it wouldn't be Bones. "This is fine."

There was a moment of silence, then Bones moved his hand away and stood up. Jim made a noise of protest, but stopped when he felt the bed dip behind him. He turned his head just enough to see Bones lie down on top of the blankets, pressing up against Jim's back as he wrapped an arm around his middle.

Jim laid his head back down on the pillow, eyes stinging with something far deeper than relief. The heat wasn't nearly as sharp as it had been with bare skin, but it was Bones. The details had never mattered much beyond that. "Thank you."

Bones found his hand underneath the blankets, giving it a squeeze. "You hardly ever ask for anything when you get sick," he said quietly. "I always expected you to whine like a two-year-old for a little coddling, but I practically have to tie you to the bed."

Jim's lips curved upward. "Well, you—"

"Later, genius." Bones sounded amused, and Jim felt the feather-light touch of lips on the back of his neck. "Right now, you don't have the energy to do much more than cough on me."

"True." He snuggled back against Bones a little, just because he could, then closed his eyes. "I never asked for anything because there was never anyone around to get it. It was easier just to keep moving and tell myself I wasn't sick."

"What about me?" Bones said gently. "I was there."

Jim coughed again. "Couldn't exactly ask for this back then, could I?"

Bones's arms tightened around him, the only answer he needed. Jim let himself drift off, only shivering a little now, when Bones spoke again. "You have to promise me you'll keep any medical disasters to a minimum when I'm sick, okay?"

Jim smiled as the world faded around him. "I can do that."

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my weekly posts and original short fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


End file.
